For His Mistress
by Wickedly Frozen Evil Regal
Summary: Diaval comforts Maleficent following her failure to revoke the curse.


**What can be said about this movie that hasn't been said by other writers? I was actually losing the inspiration to write fanfiction or anything else but this movie changed that. I hope you all enjoy.**

**This takes place right after Maleficent fails to revoke the curse from Aurora.**

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

For His Mistress

_This curse will last until the end of time. No power on Earth can change it._

The final and perhaps most devastating words of her curse echoed in her mind and all around her as she stared at the green magic fading around Aurora, her little Beastie. Maleficent reached out to stroke the princess's hair then drew back unable to follow through. She had failed, or succeeded, depending on how the situation was viewed. On one hand, she had made her curse inescapable, something the person she had been, would be proud of. On the other hand, she was utterly and completely devastated at this, she was unable to fix her mistake and now the innocent young woman before her was going to pay the price.

Forcing herself to turn away from the princess, Maleficent left the cottage. Tears pricked at her eyes and for the first time since the pain in her back had lessened to a bearable level, she allowed them to fall. The salty drops quickly blurred her vision but almost sixteen years of practice allowed her to find her tree where she did her observing in Aurora's younger years. She wished she had permitted Diaval to come with her so he could be her eyes as well as her wings on this night.

Once she reached the tree, she collapsed against it finally allowing the sobs to leave her body. She shook violently as she slid to the ground, her cries loud enough the pixies should have woken to them had they not adjusted to sleeping through crying long ago.

"Aurora!" she cried out softly. "I'm so sorry, child. I tried."

Just then warm arms encircled her. She froze, pain over Aurora forgotten, as she had not been held since that night. The night Stefan betrayed her trust and love in the worst way imaginable.

"Mistress?" Diaval's hesitant voice stopped her thoughts from wondering further. "Are you okay?"

She shook her head, forcing her body to relax against his. Her tears started again but slower and her cries were less violent. She opened her mouth to tell him what happened but all she was able to say was. "I failed." repeatedly.

* * *

><p>Still unsure and hesitant, Diaval pulled her closer. His hand found the back of her neck and his thumb stroked the exposed skin soothingly. He did not know what to say or do as he did not understand what she had failed at.<p>

Much to his surprise, Maleficent turned toward him and buried her face against his chest, his shirt soaking up her tears. Diaval would have frozen unsure of how to respond but they had observed humans comforting each other in the past and Maleficent had explained it to him.

Cautious of her response, the raven turned man bent his head and pressed a sloppy kiss to the top of her head, near one horn. It was his second time to kiss someone, the first having been Aurora's hand the day they had officially met.

As his mistress began to calm down

, Diaval loosened his grip, granting her the freedom to pull away if she so desired. He bent close to her ear and asked softly. "What happened, mistress?"

"I tried to revoke the curse," she whispered. "I failed."

"Oh." He felt sadness wash over him. If Maleficent could not remove the curse then who could save Aurora? She had no true love. How could she, living in a hidden cottage for sixteen years?

"Mistress…" he started but the faery held up her hand as she moved away from him.

"Let's just go back to the Moors." On this night, she could not bring herself to say home, for it had begun to only feel like home when the princess was there.

"Alright." Diaval rose and held out a hand to help her to her feet. Without waiting for Maleficent to say anything, he slid his arm around her waist so she could lean against him. She flinched but did not pull away. "Come along, Mistress."

"Thank you, Diaval," she said quietly.

He had to struggle not to show his surprise. He was fairly sure this was the first time she had ever thanked him.

The wall of thorns cleared slower than normal as though it was a struggle for Maleficent to tap into her magic. She leaned against Diaval heavily, her eyes beginning to droop with exhaustion. The battle with the curse and the subsequent sob fest had zapped her energy.

"Mistress?" Diaval questioned at the increased weight.

"I'm just tired," she replied.

"We are almost to the tree," he assured her.

He helped her the rest of the way and settled her into her nest. He turned to leave but the sight of tears sliding down her cheeks from her closed eyes caused him to sit next to her. He reached out and took her hand to comfort her but not make her uncomfortable. As he sat, Diaval allowed a few of his own tears to fall but held himself together for her. For his mistress.

**Please review. I have a multi-chapter work in progress that I will work on getting posted.**


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